From German Patent Document No. 198 16 315 A1, for instance, a fuel injector is discussed for the direct injection of fuel into the combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine, in particular. The fuel injector includes an armature cooperating with a solenoid coil, and a valve needle which is joined to the armature by force-locking and at which a valve-closure member is provided which forms a sealing seat together with a valve-seat surface. The valve needle has a first limit stop for the armature, which is able to move on the valve needle, the armature being additionally acted upon by a second restoring spring. Moreover, a stationary second limit stop for the armature is provided. The second restoring spring acts upon the armature counter to the lift direction, and in the non-excited state of the solenoid coil holds the armature against the second stop in such a way that the armature and the first stop formed on the valve needle are set apart by a predefined distance.
A particular disadvantage of the fuel injector of German Patent Document No. 198 16 315 A1 may be that, although a prestroke principle is realized which allows an improvement in the valve dynamics during opening of the fuel injector, armature bounce, which induces additional, undesired opening lifts of the valve needle, occurs during closing of the fuel injector when the armature returns to the neutral position.